Toy racetracks are popular among children of varied ages, and a variety of track configurations have previously been provided that include various features, such as traps, loops, stunts, and the like to add to the excitement a child experiences while playing with the toy. For instance, toy racetracks have been provided having varied loops and turns that may form complex pathways for the toy vehicle, as well as varied obstacles or stunt devices that the toy vehicle must successfully traverse in order to continue through the racetrack path.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,350 to Hippely et al. discloses a toy racetrack having a snake head at the end of the track, the snake head including a flexible, rolled tongue. As a toy vehicle impacts the rolled tongue, it will unroll the tongue and continue along its path only if it has enough energy at that time to fully unroll the tongue.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,112 to Lambert et al. discloses a toy racetrack having a stunt loop portion with a movable creature head on the inner portion of the loop, which movable creature head will move from a toy vehicle non-capture position to a toy vehicle capture position based upon the amount of energy that is transferred to the loop from a toy vehicle as it traverses the loop.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,674 to Nuttall et al. discloses a toy racetrack having moveable track segments that vary position through an indexing mechanism that operates in response to a toy vehicle travelling through the racetrack.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0287919 of Sheltman et al. discloses a toy racetrack having a swinging traveler that captures a toy vehicle as it travels through the racetrack, and rotates about a support until it aligns with a subsequent section of track, after which it releases the toy vehicle to continue its travel through the racetrack.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0164914 of O'connor et al. discloses a toy racetrack having a variety of track segments that change position as a toy vehicle traverses those segments.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0322342 of De La Torre discloses a toy racetrack having a swinging and spinning toy vehicle support that intercepts a toy vehicle as it travels through the racetrack, and thereafter swings and spins to a new position that releases the toy vehicle onto a subsequent track section.
While the foregoing configurations do provide varied obstacle and stunt features, there remains an ongoing need to provide toy racetrack features capable of maintaining the interest of a child and increasing the excitement and amusement they experience when playing with a toy racetrack. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a toy racetrack that further enhances the excitement and amusement offered to a child as they engage in such play.